PALM SUNDAY 05 April 2020
BIBLE TIME: (Q&A, Exposition, Application)
(John 12:12-16)
Theme: Jesus is
the promised Savior, follow Him.
Intro: Passion Week . . .
We have been experiencing very unusual weeks
when the world is confined to rooms and we distancing ourselves from one
another. We, Christian, aren’t surprised by such pandemic, not because it is
trivial, but because we know the holy and just and good God. In the words of
Apostle Paul, we can say, “All things work together for good.” Actually, this
pandemic teaches us that anytime death can visit us, it can snatch us away, our
loved ones and dear ones. Death respects nobody, the rich, the wise, the poor,
and the strong, all can die anytime. Death is inevitable. If death is the end
in itself, it is grim. But we know death is not the end, God in the person of
Jesus Christ is offering us a resurrection which death can no longer snatch us
away.
2000 years ago Jesus came to earth to give
this new life. He lived for about 33 and a half years fulfilling the
commandments of God for our salvation. On the final day of his life on earth,
he showed up on Jerusalem, and that is the event we want to study today from
John 12:12-16. It is the glorious and most significant week of the history of
the entire universe, because of three great events happening of that week. We
remember that week as Passion Week, and those three events are Palm Sunday
(which is today, this Sunday), Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.
What is the significance of Passion Week? What
is its message? Passion Week, to put simply is about the PERSON and WORK of
Christ for us to receive new LIFE. The message of Passion Week, (for that
matter,) the Gospel, Bible, and Christianity is simple: John 3:16, “Whoever
Believes In Christ Will Receive New Life.” Well, each and every 8 words
in what I have just said is very important and consequential. We don’t have
time to explain that today. How can ‘just’ believe in Christ give us new life,
because just believing that US or Indian Scientists will produce a vaccine for
Covid19 will never make us immune to this virus or cure us once we get
infected? It’s similar. Just saying, “I believe Christ” doesn’t make you a
recipient of new life. You must know Who He is, What He is, What He demands,
What He gives. In other words, you must know the PERSON of Christ. Not only
must you know the person of Christ, but also the WORK of Christ, What He has
done for sinners, How He has made us acceptable before God.
In a way, the event of Passion Week unfolds
like this: Palm Sunday tells us the Person of Christ; Good Friday, the work of
Christ; and Easter Sunday, the New Life in Christ.
Palm Sunday: PROCLAMATION – Who Jesus is [PERSON]
Good Friday: CRUCIFIXION – What Jesus did [WORK]
Easter
Sunday: RESURRECTION – What Jesus gives
[LIFE]
Today, let’s study what happened on Palm
Sunday and find out its message and apply it to our life from the passage of
John 12:12-16, the shortest account in the four gospels. In the last study of
John 12:45-57 we saw the Jewish leaders were plotting to kill Jesus, but could
not, because “His Hour has not come.’’ Now His hour has come (v23), to proclaim
Himself the Messiah, the Passover Lamb, who will take away the sins of the
world according to what it had been prophesied by the prophets in the past. In
doing so, the Jewish leaders will arrest Him on Thursday and crucified Him on
Friday, and He will rise up from the dead on Sunday. The message we hear from
this passage is, “Jesus is the promised Savior, follow Him.” At
the appointed time, the King came to give His life, not to be adored and
crowned with gold, but to be mocked, crucified and crowned with many thorns.
The crowds of Jerusalem didn’t understand what was going on (v16), but we do
understand now. So let’s find out by the methods of asking questions: Three
demonstrations that Jesus is the promised Savior–
PROCLAMATION (12-13) of the people “cried”
Q1. Was the triumphal entry planned or
accidental? [Refer to synoptic gospels]. What is the appropriateness of this
occasion for Christ to program this? (John 12:12-13; 11:55)
Q2. The proclamation “Hosanna . . . The King of
Israel” in v 13 is reserved for the coming of the Messiah. The people received
Him as Messiah. How were they convinced of His identity? (9, 17-19).
Q3. The people received Him as Messiah but a few
days later they crucified Him, Why? How sure are you that the God of your
confession is the real God of the Bible? (Refer Deut. 5:7-8; Phil 3:19-20)
FULFILLMENT (14-15) of the scriptures “written”
Q4. Why did Jesus choose Donkey, and not like a
Horse for a King? (v14) And what is the message of sitting on a donkey? (Matt.
21:5; Matt. 11:28-30). Next time, He will be coming riding on what kind of
animal and why? (Rev 19:11)
Q5. Why do you think was the prophet saying,
“Fear Not” (v15)? And were the crowd or the Pharisees afraid of Jesus? Should
they? What about us, should we?
VINDICATION (16) by glorification
(resurrection) “glorified”
Q6. In v16, why could not the disciples
understand the meaning of this event then? (Refer John 14:26; 16:13) In light
of this truth, why is Bible so hard for some to believe? (1 Cor.2:14). What
must be our attitude when we approach to study Scripture?
Q7. Which word in v16 tells you that Jesus is who
He claimed to be– that He is the Promised Savior?
Q8. The crowd liked Him and addressed Him, King.
It really looked like a triumphal entry. Was it a triumphal entry after all?
Why did Jesus work so hard for a failed triumphal entry? What matters to Him
and what must matter to you? (think through v23-26)
NOTES:
Three lessons learned from the crowd
of Jerusalem:
1. They had the wrong perception:
Jesus was not the Messiah of their imagination.
2. They had the wrong celebration:
Physical (political) rather than Spiritual
3. They had the wrong motivation:
Political freedom rather than spiritual freedom
Three truths of this entry to
Jerusalem (triumphal entry/ Palm Sunday)
1. Jesus came willingly to suffer for
us. He was the one who set the stage for His death.
2. Jesus came timely to fulfill the
Scripture (and the promise). God’s word never fails.
3. Jesus came graciously to offer
peace with God, freedom from sin, and glorious life.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Churches and
Christians who aren't able to have regular fellowship. That they will not
grow cold (weak) in faith.
2. Pandemic and Panic
among us. That we would remain careful and be protected.
3. Doctors and Patients.
That they will have strength and grace to fight the virus.
4. Scientists and
Leaders. That they will have the wisdom to guide and help the public in
this situation.
5. Food and Finance.
That we all will continue to get daily needs. Remember the migrant workers too.
6. Careers and Economy.
That our future will be taken care of by the amazing grace of God.
7. Fruit(s) of
Christian. That we will demonstrate peace, hope, and love in this
situation.
8. Heavenly minded.
That we will have the perspective of heaven and not be worldly in our decision
making and lifestyle!
9.
Mission and Gospel. That we will
remain passionate for the lost soul and live out the Gospel all the more as the
day of the Lord nears.
BENEDICTION: May the Lord bless you and keep you
throughout the week! Amen!
FOR THE ANSWERS TO THE 8 QUESTIONS
ABOVE, YOU MAY DOWNLOAD FROM THIS LINK ANSWERS_Palm_Sunday